Roll type paper dispensing cabinet



Nov. 3, 1953 L. A. DITTMAN ET AL ROLL TYPE PAPER DISPENSING CABINET Filed Jan. 15, 1952 INVENTORS LEsL IE A 0/ 7'7'MAN PAUL g. 0/7rMA/v ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 3, 1953 2,657,873 ROLL TYPE PAPER DISPENSING CABINET Leslie A. Dittman, Coming, and Paul E. Dittman, Manhasset, N. Y.

Application January 15, 1952, Serial No. 266,548

Claims. (Cl.-242-55'.5)

Our invention relates to a dispensing device, particularly a closed type dispensing cabinet, for paper, tissue, foil and the like in the form of rolls.

Conventional dispensing devices of the practical art for roll papers and the like are unsatisfactory in terms of simplicity and convenience of operation. Ordinarily both hands are required for satisfactory operation involving an unwinding or withdrawal motion and a tearing motion across a cutting edge, or the paper tears in ragged fashion or rolls back tending to jam the dispenser. This is particularly inconvenient and annoying when the next withdrawal is to be made as the ragged accessible portion is insufiicient in strength to support the unwinding force or induces unwinding in an uneven fashion. Indeed even with a uniform cutting, the end of paper accessible for the next withdrawal is ordinarily so short as to be difiicult to grasp as well as causing diiiiculty and inconvenience in establishing a smooth withdrawal.

Conventional dispensing devices are either open type dispensers which are unsightly and exposed to dirt and dust from the atmosphere or, if of the closed type, are often cumbersome in structure and complicated in operating mechanism.

Our invention provides a dispensing device which is simple and convenient in operation, which is highly versatile in application, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which in the form of a closed cabinet is attractive in appearance as a part of the utility furnishings of a kitchen or household. Our new dispensing device comprises a horizontally extending supporting member or means providing a slit-like opening along its length. Advantageously, the supporting member takes the form of the outer face of an enclosing cabinet. The lower edge of the opening with advantage may be centrally depressed in the form of a wide obtuse V. A cutting edge is disposed along the upper edge of the opening, and a retainer lip is inwardly recessed from the lower edge of the opening in a manner extending back away from the supporting member or into the interior of the cabinet. A finger access groove may be advantageously cut downwardly in the central portion of the retainer lip. Behind the upper edge of the opening is situated a spacing element. A roller rod is horizontally disposed within the cabinet, in association with the supporting member, or for supporting a roll of paper, tissue or foil or the like and for feeding a sheet from the roll through the slit-like opening. Means such as inclined tracks or a grooved slot are provided for engaging the forward face of a roll supported on the roller rod in frictional contact with the spacing element.

The construction and operation of the new dispensing device will be further illustrated in the form of the preferred closed cabinet type by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a 3- unit dispensing cabinet constructed according to our invention; Figure 2 represents a vertical section through the cabinet illustrated in Figure '1; Figure 3 represents a vertical section through a single unit dispenser suitable for mounting on a shelf or in a drawer; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a dispenser of the type illustrated in Figure 3 mounted by means of an adapter below a shelf; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a dispenser of the type of Figure 3 mounted in the drawer.

As shown in Figure '1, the cabinet In which advantageously is of sheet metal construction is simple in design and may be varied symmetrically in design to accommodate rolls of different sizes if desired. The cabinet I0 is entirely closed except for the three slit-like openings H, 12 and 13 which permit withdrawal of the paper or foil sheet. The openings H, I! and I3 taper along their lower edges downwardly and centrally in the form of a wide or flattened obtuse V configuration and are provided with finger access grooves I 4, l5 and [6. The cabinet may be formed in any suitable way for wall mounting and if desired the back may be open utilizing the wall as this member.

In Figure 2, the rolls or paper l1, I8 and 19 may be seen mounted on roller rods 20, ll and 22 which ride on tracks 23, 24 and 25 which are affixed to the inner side walls in a sloping position which causes the paper to ride to the front of the cabinet ID in position for withdrawal of the sheet through openings ll, I2 and I3. Thus the rolls are engaged frictionally against spacing elements 26, 21 and 2-8 which set back each r011 approximately to 1 inch from the front of the cabinet Ill. The sheet of paper is withdrawn from the roll over recessed retainer lips 29, 30 and 3|. The end of the sheet or tab is cut off by upward and sideways motion against the edge of cutting elements 32, 33 and 34 disposed along the upper edge of openings ll, I2 and 13.

.In the devices of Figures 3 and 4-, the containers are formed with hinged sections 40 and 4|, hinged at 42. Hence section 40 may overlap or telescope with section 4| so as to provide for contraction in the interior space as the roll is expended. The roll 43 is mounted on roller rod 44 riding in tracks or grooved sections 45. The weight of the upper container section 40 drops it against the upper surface of the roll from which it is spaced apart a predetermined distance by spacing element 46. Thus a tab or end of the sheet 41 is provided and caught on retainer lip 48 for withdrawal through the dispenser opening. By action of the hinge 42 and the free side of the container 40, the Weight of the hinged assembly provides friction against the paper roll and takes up space as the roll is consumed. As shown in Figure 4, adapter 50 with appropriate mounting bolts and screws may be provided for under table or under shelf mounting. However, as shown in Figure 5 the dispenser of Figure 3 is readily susceptible of mounting within a table drawer.

In operation, the paper is pulled from the roll through the obtuse V in the retainer lips of the slit-like opening, e. g. H of Figure 1, in the face of the cabinet. Finger groove l4 facilitates grasping the loose end of the roll. The paper is withdrawn through the opening and by a sharp upwards and sideways motion the sheet is cut from the roll by the cutter edge 32. The cutting edge may be straight or serrated. The weight of the paper roll in the modification of Figure 1, or conversely the weight of the hinged assembly in the modification of Figure 3, combined with the inclined track hold the roll against the spacing element 26 in a manner providing friction so that when the paper is drawn out, the paper does not unwind becoming loose and sloppy on the roll. After cutting, the end of the paper remaining on the roll drops down by the action of the spacing element 26 and is held by the retaining lip 29 in position for the next withdrawal. Any desired length of tab or end of sheet may be provided by appropriate sizing of the spacing element to provide set back from the cutting edge and by design of the spacing element in conjunction with the recessed retaining lip 29.

Thus our new dispensing cabinet provides simplicity and convenience in operation through making it possible to reach and withdraw the original end of the paper in commencing to unwind the roll with ease and without jamming the roller. Ease of cutting is provided and the end of the sheet is easily accessible through the cooperation of the spacing element in providing a suitable free length for the end of the sheet or tab in conjunction with the action of the recessed retainer lip in receiving and holding the tab or end of the sheet for the next withdrawal. Accessibility is further improved by the cooperation between the obtuse V configuration for the lower edge of the cabinet opening and the finger access groove. The cooperation of the spacing component, the roller rod, the means for frictionally engaging the roll with the spacing element and the recessed retainer lip in feeding the tab or sheet through the cabinet opening successfully prevent snarling and over-travel of the roll with resulting waste of paper.

The new dispensing cabinet is highly versatile in application since it can accommodate various sizes and types of rolls in single or multiple unit cabinets. Moreover the cabinet can be as readily mounted within a drawer, and under or upon a shelf as on the wall. As previously noted, our invention may be applied in the form of an open type dispenser utilizing, for example a horizontal bar hinged from any simple frame to drop downwardly against the face of a roll in an arc of decreasing radius as the roll is used and having a spacing element as described in connection with the cabinet for providing a tab of desirable length for easy accessibility in cooperation with an associated retainer lip.

The design of the cooperating elements comprising the new dispensing cabinet is simple so that fabrication, construction and assembly are both simple and inexpensive as well as susceptible to large scale mechanical production techniques. The design permits the use of the inexpensive materials of construction such as sheet metal, plywood, or the like with simple metal or wood fittings. The simplicity in design further contributes to attractiveness in appearance.

We claim:

1. A device for holding a roll of flexible sheet material and for dispensing flexible sheet material therefrom which comprises a rotatably supported roller rod for axially supporting a roll of flexible sheet material, an elongated member having a slit-like opening therein through which flexible sheet is withdrawn from said roller rod, said elongated member being disposed with the slit-like opening in substantially parallel relationship with said roller rod, one edge of said opening being depressed inwardly toward said roller rod and a cutting edge being formed at the edge of said opening opposite said depressed edge, an elongated spacer for the forward face of the roll of flexible sheet and said elongated member positioned adjacent said elongated member inside said cutting edge, and means adjusting the relative positions of said roller rod and said elongated member to engage the forward face of said roll of flexible sheet material in frictional contact with said spacer.

2. A dispensing device according to claim 1 in which the elongated member having the slit-like opening therein is a cabinet.

3. A dispensing device according to claim 1 in which the elongated member having the slitlike opening therein is a cabinet in which the depressed edge of the slit-like opening has the shape of a wide obtuse V.

4. A dispensing device according to claim 1 in which the elongated member having the slitlike opening therein is a cabinet in which a finger access groove is cut downwardly in the central portion of the depressed edge of the slit-like opening.

5. In a device for holding a roll of flexible sheet material and for dispensing flexible sheet material therefrom including a rotatably supported roller rod for axially supporting a roll of flexible sheet material, an elongated member arranged parallel to said roller rod, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said roller rod and said elongated member, the improvement which comprises said elongated member having a slit-like opening therein through which flexible sheet is withdrawn from said roller rod, said elongated member being disposed with the slitlike opening in substantially parallel relationship with said roller rod, one edge of said opening being depressed inwardly toward said roller rod and a cutting edge being formed at the edge of said opening opposite said depressed edge, and an elongated spacer for the forward face of the roll of flexible sheet and said elongated member positioned adjacent said elongated member inside said cutting edge whereby said means for adjusting the relative positions of said roller rod and said elongated member engages the forward face of said roll of fiexible sheet material in frictional contact with said spacer.

LESLIE A. DII'IMAN. PAUL E. DIT'I'MAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,151,064 Alexander Mar. 21, 1939 2,463,375 Gluck Mar. 1, 194 9 

